SAN FRANCISCO-- In an effort to help educate employers, parents and
young workers in California about preventing workplace injuries, Governor Gray
Davis has proclaimed May "Safe Jobs for Youth Month."

State and federal agencies are working together in this public information
campaign to increase the awareness of child labor laws and health and safety
issues. Information is available for young workers, parents and employers to
help youth stay safe on the job.

Thousands of young workers 14-18 years old begin new jobs this summer in California.
Many industries will employ youth in food service, as courtesy clerks in grocery
stores, on construction sites and as cashiers in customer service and retail.
These jobs allow California youth to earn money and create positive work experiences.
Unfortunately, these jobs can also involve injury and disability if young workers
are not informed of the hazards.

Young workers face risks from:

Late hours-increasing the risks and vulnerability to crime

Long hours-potential hazards when working alone and when experiencing
frequent contact with the public ·

Unsafe or broken equipment

Hot oil and cooking surfaces

Powered equipment such as box crushers, bakery machines, forklifts

"Jobs can be a great way to gain valuable experience and income. But they
need to be safe jobs," said Diane Bush of UC Berkeley's Labor Occupational Health
Program, a coordinator of Safe Jobs for Youth Month. "California has labor laws
that protect young workers. We want employers, parents and young workers to
know what the laws are. Young workers should not be getting hurt on their first
job. This is a chance to help them develop safety skills that will last them
a lifetime," Bush added.

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, every
year in the U.S. an estimated 200,000 young workers are injured on the job.
An estimated 70,000 are injured seriously enough to go to the emergency room.
Studies suggest that youth job injury rates are higher than those of adults,
despite the fact that youths are prohibited from working in the most hazardous
occupations.

"Our young workers should be entering the workforce knowing that they'll get
health and safety training, and ask for it if they don't," says Bush. "They
should be learning to take responsibility for problems they see and know it's
okay to tell their boss."

The Web site, www.youngworkers.org,
includes tips for young workers, parents, employers and educators on keeping
youth safe at work. This is a collaborative effort by the Department of Industrial
Relations, the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation, and
the California Resource Network for Young Workers' Health and Safety, coordinated
by UC Berkeley's Labor Occupational Health Program.

Public information activities during "Safe Jobs for Youth Month" 2001:

Governor Davis issued his third annual proclamation declaring May 2001
as "Safe Jobs for Youth Month."

UC Berkeley's Labor Occupational Health Program (LOHP) coordinated a
teen poster contest among the 900 California high schools. The winning
poster is distributed to all of the state's public high schools to help
promote teen awareness of safety on the job and publicize the Web site
www.youngworkers.org.

The California Department of Education distributed over 2,000 "Safe Jobs
for Youth" resource kits developed by LOHP. These kits were sent to every
California public high school, targeting social studies teachers, school-to-career
or work-experience educators, regional occupational centers, and other
organizations involved in training and placing young workers in the workforce.
The kits include a copy of the winning teen poster, factsheets, and sample
curriculum and sample media materials for local distribution.

Cal/OSHA inspectors will continue to distribute the "Facts for Employers:
Safer Jobs for Teens" factsheet.

The California PTA distributed Safe Jobs for Youth materials at their
state convention in April 2001.

The California Department of Industrial Relations created 525,000 job
specific bookmarks on young worker health and safety for seven different
industries. The bookmarks are being distributed throughout the month of
May to high schools, state divisions such as Cal/OSHA, Division of Labor
Standards Enforcement and human resource departments through the Chamber
of Commerce